The 2000s-era NBA was one of the more bizarre representations of basketball one could imagine. You had a fashion that today would be laughed at, baggy jeans, shirts, shorts, and fabrics flying down the court. Defensive teams—ala the Championship Detroit Pistons—that dominated to the point the NBA had to change the rules to speed up the game, which helped a dopey-haired small, white Canadian point guard pick up back-to-back MVPs.
We started the decade with Lakers championships and ended with Lakers championships, and yet you can rightfully argue that Tim Duncan was the most important player of the ten years. But today, we aren't talking about Tim, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, or Dwyane Wade. We're discussing the most underrated NBA players of the 2000s.
11. Corey Maggette
Corey Maggette was the player version of the Los Angeles Lakers/Los Angeles Clippers relationship in that he was the Walmart version of Kobe Bryant. Underrated? Yes, but just barely scratching this list. In fact, I don't think I would have him on here if not for having the greatest NBA nickname of all time, “Bad Porn.”
He was a scorer, plain and simple. He drove, he shot, and he played a little selfishly. He was the baby Bryant from across the LA freeway. His most valuable skill? Getting to the free throw line. Including averaging 10 attempts at the line per game when he averaged 22 points per game in his 2004-05 season.
There's not much else to say about Maggatte. Was he better than he is remembered? Sure. Was he good enough that it's a travesty that his name isn't among the great scorers in the history of the NBA? Not a chance. That's why he's the first name on this list.
10. Doug Christie
One of the most valuable roleplayers in the early part of the decade, Doug Christie, was a deadeye shooter that brought it at an all-defensive level on the other end. We'll focus primarily on his most impactful seasons, from 2001-2004.
After being traded to the Sacramento Kings at the end of the 2000 season, he formed a potent shooting perimeter alongside Peja Stojaković. You must be a great player to fit into a team named “The Greatest Show on Court.” He helped the Kings lead the league in wins in 2001-02, and while he didn't average too many points—ending his career with averages of 11-4-3—he made his mark on defense. He picked up three Second Team All-Defenses and one First Team All-Defense.
Unfortunately for Christie, what should have been a fruitful career as a spot-up shooter quickly ended due to a litany of injuries. Struggling with bone spurs, and ankle surgery, he left the NBA after the 2006-07 season.
9. Shareef Abdur-Rahim
Vancouver selected Abdur-Rahim third overall, and he immediately became the team's leading scorer. Unfortunately, his fantastic rookie campaign was lost in history behind a similar scoring guard in Allen Iverson, but it was easy to see the skill and talent Shareef possessed. In his next season, he averaged 22 points per game to go with 7 rebounds.
His best season came in 2002 after being traded to Atlanta. Unfortunately for Rahim, he will be remembered for being the centerpiece of this lopsided trade that sent Pau Gasol to Memphis, where he would quickly *not* become one of the most underrated players of the 2000s. Anyways. Shareef solidified his role as a scoring power forward and was selected as an All-Star in the 2002 season, the lone career selection.
Shareef could never take that next step up to consistent superstardom, and despite forming a talented trio alongside Glenn Robinson and Jason Terry, the Hawks never sniffed the playoffs. He was an empty-calories kind of player who put up stats on losing teams and couldn't carry a team to any relevancy. His only postseason trip was as a role player averaging 12-5 on the 2005-06 Sacramento Kings, who would lose in the first round to San Antonio.
8. Andrei Kirilenko
Andrei Kirilenko was a prototype of what the modern-day NBA landscape now values above all else; versatility. His 2000s were spent with the Utah Jazz, playing alongside Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer. He became the first Russian player selected in the first round and made the all-rookie team in his first year.
His only other individual awards were a 2004 All-Star selection after averaging 16-8-3 with 2 steals and 3 blocks. Defensively he was excellent, making an NBA All-Defensive Team three times. Despite having the aura of a rugged workhorse, Kirilenko struggled with durability, usually finishing NBA seasons between 60-70 games played. Still, with his peak year coinciding with his healthiest—he appeared in 78 games—he led the Utah Jazz in total points, points per game, total rebounds, rebounds per game, blocks, blocks per game, steals, steals per game, free throws made, free throws attempted, three pointers made, and three-pointers attempted. Honestly, call him the Russian Lebron James.
Arguably the coolest aspect of Kirinlenkos's career is his nickname, “AK-47”, referencing his Russian heritage and jersey number. In fact, Kirilenko was born in Izhevsk, where the weapon was first manufactured. While you probably wouldn't be able to get away with that nickname in the NBA today, it still earns him an easy placement on this list. Oh, and Google his insane back tattoo.
7. Michael Redd
Michael Redd is another interesting 2000s player. Playing for a middling Milwaukee Bucks squad throughout the 2000s, he led the team and was a fantastic all-around scorer.
Redd fell behind Ray Allen on the depth chart and barely appeared during his rookie season but came on strong in his sophomore campaign. He made his mark from deep and, with an increase in playing time, averaged 11.4 points per game while shooting 44% from beyond the arc. He also set the record for most three-pointers made in a single quarter, with eight, before being overtaken when Klay Thompson made nine.
With the trade of superstar Ray Allen, the Bucks fell off as one of the NBAs top teams, but the leading role was filled by Redd, who went on to average 21.7 points en route to his only All-Star appearance. Redd was also awarded a 3rd-Team All-NBA spot, giving Milwaukee hope that the young guard could take on the role open with Ray Allen's departure.
His best statistical season came in 2006-07, with a career-high 26.7 points per game. He scored 57 that same season, breaking the Bucks' single-game scoring record held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. This season encapsulates why Redd isn't any higher on this list. While Redd played amazingly, the team finished the season with a horrible record—28-54. With only one more high-scoring season under his belt, 22.7 points per game, Redd would suffer a torn ACL and MCL injury that would significantly impact the rest of his career. He was never the same.
6. Peja Stojaković
Peja is one player that would have been awesome to watch in the current NBA era. A lethal gunner from range, Stokakoić was one of the first NBA players to bomb away from range who hit a high percentage of their shots. He finished his career averaging 5.5 three-point attempts per game in an era that was just starting to see the actual value of the deep ball.
His three years stretch from 2001-04 saw him average 22-6-2, make the All-Star team every year, and even get him a spot on the 2nd Team All-NBA squad. He was selected only behind guards Kobe Bryant and Jason Kidd, which is the greatest single accomplishment in his career. In fact, he was voted 4th overall in the 2003-04 MVP race, beating out the aforementioned shooting guard on the Lakers.
Injuries were a concern throughout Peja's career, especially in the second half of his NBA lifespan. You would have expected Peja to become a lethal off-the-bench shooter, but from 2008 until he retired, he never seemed to get more than 60 games played.
5. Ron Artest
Ron Artest, Metta World Peace, or his now legal name Metta Sandiford-Artest may surprise some on this list. He is incredibly well known; he's played beside Kobe on the Championship Lakers, delivered us with one of the best post-championship press conferences ever, and been a member of the infamous Malice and the Palace. He was the spiritual successor to Dennis Rodman, released music featured in NBA 2K, and is infamous for his antics on-and-off court.
But when we focus on his game, we can see that he was overlooked for his talent, with many casual fans not understanding that at points in the 2000s, Ron Artest was seen as one of the top NBA players in the league. That's right; we're talking top player in the league status.
Like many on this list, the 2003-04 season was the best of Ron's career. He made the All-Star game and was selected to the All NBA-Third Team. He doubled as the league's premier perimeter defender—winning the Defensive Player of the Year Award—having a rare combination of strength, size, and speed that allowed him to keep up with quicker, smaller guards; and be a physical presence to stop bigger small-forward bruiser type scorers.
Obviously, we have to mention the Malice at the Palace incident that saw him miss the entirety of the 2004-05 season with Indiana. However, when we look at this year, we can see that it was Ron's best statistical start to an NBA season. He averaged 24-6-3 on a Pacers team that was seen as among the top teams in the NBA and potentially a future NBA champion.
4. Michael Finley
Finley played on two of the premier Western Conference powerhouses over the decade, starting with Dallas and moving to San Antonio after being waived. Luckily for this list, his two all-star appearances occurred within the decade when he made the cut in both the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 seasons.
The draw of Finley was his consistency and availability. He led the league in minutes played for three seasons of his career. He also has a rare 83-game season under his belt after being traded from Phoenix to Dallas early in his career. They say the best ability is availability, and Finley did just that. He was one of many roleplayers that was able to fit seamlessly into talented teams throughout his career.
Finley was a no-nonsense small forward that was the perfect complement beside Dirk Nowitzki, had multiple seasons averaging above 20-5-5 per game, and capped his career off with a championship on the 2007 San Antonio Spurs.
3. Jermaine O'Neal
O'Neal is an excellent example of the circumstances most players on these lists go through during their careers. His best seasons come while playing for teams that aren't popular or mainstream. Jermaine does that by propelling himself to All-Star status with Indiana. Another is that many of these players are often misremembered for their time and play late in their careers when they're past their prime, bouncing around to teams and being fitted for jerseys that will probably struggle to sell ten total copies. Again, O'Neal might be remembered more for his last season with Golden State, just before the team ascended into the perennial dynasty. Finally, as with fellow Pacer Ron Artest, O'Neal was heavily involved in the Malice at the Palace punishments and suspensions, so the NBA isn't jumping at the opportunity to push Jermaine into the mainstream hivemind.
But despite this, you should know that Jermaine O'Neal was a beast. He was so good that Pacers fans could realistically argue that he was the best big man in the league. Of course, this was never true with the likes of Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan hanging around, but the conversation wasn't an insane one to have. And when you peak to the point, you can be compared to the greatest power forward of all time. Well, that counts for something, right?
From 2001-2007 O'Neal made six straight All-Star games while averaging a stellar 20-10 with 2 blocks per game. His best season, 2003-04, when he averaged 20-10 and 2.6 blocks, earned him 3rd place in the MVP race. He had three All-NBA team selections, two thirds, and a second cap off his individual awards.
Besides the obvious suspension from the Malice incident, Jermaine didn't reach a higher level because of a lack of real playoff success and a subpar field goal percentage for a big man. His only season above 50% from the floor was with the 2009-10 Miami Heat, which isn't anything to write home about for a 6'11” power forward. Still, O'Neal was a franchise centerpiece to a team that consistently made the postseason, so he deserves his spot on this list.
2. Sam Cassell
Can you name any other player who only made the all-star game once in his career? That's not that tough. There's been a lot of former all-stars. Injury replacements, lifetime achievement awards, and many players that might not entirely deserve it. But how many of those players make their first all-star team at 34 years old? And make it not as a lifetime achievement award or an injury replacement, but during what would be a 2nd Team All-NBA season?
Enter Sam Cassell. At 34 years of age, Cassell had his best year averaging 19-3-7, helping the downtrodden Minnesota franchise propel itself to #1 in the Western Conference Standings. Before this career year, Cassell bounced around as a competent floor general, never finding a true home with a team and playing for eight franchises over a nineteen-year career. Even with Minnesota
Cassell also owns a space in a potential “worst trade of all time” discussion, being moved, along with a first-round pick, from Minnesota in 2005 to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Marko Jaric and Lionel Chalmers. Neither made an impact, with Lionel Chalmers never playing another NBA game. Cassell would then lead the way to another franchise turnaround, bringing the Clippers—that featured two players on this list—to their then-most successful season in franchise history. He epitomized, “you don't know what you've got till it's gone.”
One last point on Cassell that bumps him higher on this list. He was the first NBA player to bring in the big balls dance celebration, injuring his groin. This honestly swayed an NBA championship, costing the Minnesota Timberwolves in their series against the Lakers, in which they were the better team. Was it worth it? I say yes.
1. Elton Brand
Elton is perfect for this list. Not only did he start playing precisely at the starting point of the decade after being selected 1st overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 1999 draft, but he proceeded to be one of the most under-the-radar players during his career. His true moment in the spotlight happened near the tail end of his career.
We need to focus on exactly one year of Elton's career that solidifies his place on this list without a thought. The 2005-06 campaign. The Clippers have always been the runt of LA. The little brother. A team dwarfed by the sheer size, glamor, and continued excellence in the shared city. And while many fans will remember the Clippers for continuously being one of the dumpster fires of NBA teams, alongside Sacramento, Minnesota, and others, those other teams have had moments in the spotlight that are remembered fondly. You have Kevin Garnetts MVP and Western Conference Finals season with the Wolves. You have the heartbreaking series between the Sacramento Kings and the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2002 Western Conference Finals series. Still, you don't hear much talk about the years the Clippers might have been the championship favorite.
Elton Brand led the way with 24-10 as the best player on a championship contender, the 2005-06 Clippers. Read that sentence again. In a season sandwiched between two non-playoff years, Elton Brand and the Clippers lost in seven games to the Phoenix Suns. Elton averaged 30-10-4 with 3 blocks per game that series. Would the Clippers have been able to dispatch the Mavericks in the next round? Maybe. But the sheer fact that “Clipper Contenders” was uttered during the 2005-06 playoffs firmly earns Elton a spot on this list. We don't even have to look at career averages or anything. Elton deserves this spot.
